Ibiza Hotel

Ibiza Hotel is a four-star base in Jounieh for divers who want a practical place to recover between outings, with a swimming pool, a bar and room service ready for the less glamorous part of the day: eating, drinking and putting your feet up. The hotel suits couples particularly well, but family rooms are available too.

English and Spanish are spoken by the hotel team, so you can sort out the useful details without resorting to hand signals. Free WiFi throughout the hotel, air conditioning and soundproofing in the rooms all help when your priorities are simple: a cool room, a proper shower and a night without unnecessary noise.

There is also enough here for a stay that is not built entirely around the dive calendar. A spa, a hot tub, an outdoor pool and concierge service give you options when the sea has had its turn.

You will find the hotel in Tabarja, Jounieh, on Lebanon's coast. It is 3.5 km from Jounieh centre and Fouad Chehab Stadium, and 1 km from Casino du Liban. Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport is about 19 miles away by road, while the hotel description places Beirut International Airport at 33 km.

The hotel is not presented as a beachside property. Tamary Beach is about 1 mile away by car, with Green Beach around 2.5 miles away and Al Raml Al Zahabi Beach about 2.8 miles away. In other words, you can reach the coast easily, but your room and the sand are not the same postcode.

Byblos gives you a worthwhile land-based excursion when you need a day out of the water. The archaeological site, castle and fossil museum are each about 6 miles away by car. Jounieh itself is close enough for restaurants, cafés and an evening change of scenery, while the hotel keeps private parking on site.

For a straightforward couple's stay, the Deluxe Double Room keeps things uncomplicated: a king-size bed, air conditioning, a minibar, a safe, a hairdryer and a flat-screen television with satellite channels. The Standard Double Room follows the same practical logic with a super-king-size bed. After a full day in the water, the important part is having somewhere cool to shower, sleep and leave tomorrow's kit of clothes ready.

If you prefer more room to spread out, the suites add a seating area, and the Superior Suite brings a view over the Mediterranean from that space. Suites also have a spa bath, bathrobes and slippers, which is a rather more convincing post-dive recovery plan than pretending a quick rinse counts as relaxation. Soundproofing and air conditioning should make the night easier, particularly when the day has started early.

The Family Room with Sea View is the obvious choice when two people want generous space rather than a compact double-room layout. It has two single beds and two king-size beds, although its stated capacity remains two guests, so treat it as a roomy option for a couple rather than assume it is a four-person booking. Rooms also have a refrigerator, kettle, wardrobe and private bathroom, with daily housekeeping keeping the practical side under control.

The hotel has two restaurants, with an international restaurant covering Mediterranean and Western cooking. The menu description leans towards good, familiar fuel: meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, and dishes that should make sense when you come back hungry rather than in the mood for a culinary examination.

There is one bar at the hotel, positioned by the outdoor swimming pool. That gives you the useful combination of a drink and a swim without arranging another outing, although the available information does not set out a continuous snack service or late-dining schedule. Room service is available when the most ambitious plan of the evening is staying in.

Breakfast is available in the room, and the hotel also has a tea and coffee maker. Nearby, you have seafood and Lebanese restaurants and cafés within roughly a ten-minute walk, giving you a local alternative to eating at the hotel every evening. A small on-site minimarket is handy for the forgotten bottle of water or similarly minor emergency.

The outdoor swimming pool is the natural place to spend the afternoon when you want water without a mask, regulator or briefing. Sun loungers and umbrellas are available, and pool toys add a family-friendly touch. For a diver, the appeal is less about squeezing in another activity and more about having somewhere to cool down without going anywhere.

The spa facilities include a hot tub or Jacuzzi, while beauty services, hair treatments and make-up services are also available. That gives you a few ways to deal with the physical evidence of a week beside the sea: tired shoulders, dry skin and hair that has clearly lost an argument with salt water. You can also use the shared lounge and TV area when the room feels too quiet and the bar feels too public.

For time away from the hotel, concierge service can help organise car hire, local cultural tours and excursions. Byblos is close enough for a historical outing, and the nearby beaches give you an easy non-diving day by the coast. Bowling, live performances and hiking are available in the wider area, while horse riding and local culture tours provide alternatives for a couple travelling with one non-diver.

The reception is open around the clock, with private check-in and check-out, luggage storage, lockers, currency exchange and concierge service. Check-in runs from 13:00 to 14:00, while check-out is from 12:00 to 13:00. Those are compact windows, so keep them in mind when matching flights, transfers and the first or last dive day.

An airport shuttle is available and can be arranged with the hotel. Car hire is also available, and free private parking is provided on site without requiring a reservation. That combination makes the hotel more practical if you plan to move between Jounieh, the beaches and Byblos rather than stay within walking distance of the property.

Children of any age are welcome. Cots can be requested for children aged up to four, and extra beds can be requested for children aged nine and above; availability depends on the room selected. There is no minimum age for check-in, pets are not allowed, and cash is the accepted payment method.